ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1443, 18 May 1912, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

HERE, SWEDEN, AMERICA, [BT "MP.rcuet."] July 6 to 15—Athletic Section, Olympic Games, Stockholm. August 16— Now Zealand Cross-Country Championship, Wellington. N.Z. Cross-Country Championship, A decided move has been made by the Wellington Centro with regaTd to the 1912 N.Z.C.C. championship, the control of which, as readers of this column will be aware, has been allotted to tiio local executive by tho N.Z.A.A.A. At its last meeting a subcommittee was set up to bring down a general 6chem© as to the conduct of tho winter event, and as a result of the deliberations of this latter body it is proposed to hold the race on August 10, provided that this dato meets with tho approval of tho various centres.

They uts to be oiroularised to test their feeling. A further decision ef the oommitteo will have tho effect of doing away with the annual teams' road xaoe that has been in the nthietio programme for some years now, and of substituting a Wellington provincial cross-country championship, Tho now contest will carry with it the Whyte-M'Kay shield, which has hitherto been the trophy sot apart for the now defunct road race. Why Recruits are Coming In,

This is a good scheme. It should have tho effect of stimulating the winter branch of tho sport among th« country clubs, os the competition mil of courso be open to all amateur athletic and harrier clubs under the aegis of tho centre. This aspect appears to lmvo appealed strongly to the committee in charge, as it is proposed to hold tho first of tho new championship contests at Palmerston North, and to pick tho Wellington representatives for the New Zealand affair from tho performances .of tho local men in the provincial event. This latter, by tho way, will carry a club as well as an individual championship, and the WiiyteM'Kay trophy will bo allotted to tho club represented by tho most successful team competing. Clubs will bo allowed to start six men, fouT of whom will oount for points. Tho effect on local haniorism is already being folt, and that for good. Recruiting is going on very satisfactorily in club ranlts, and tho total muster at last Saturday's parade totalled over sixty. Moreover, the recruits were not faT to seek when tho numbers were hoisted at the finish of tho day's work. Two of thorn,

yclept Kerr and Jones, were prominent in the run-in that concluded tho Wellington Club's outing, tho former running second to M'Dowell. Tho Brooklyn Club had the same experience. Of tho first three men homo in tho final flurry, two were "rookies," J. Burroil being beaten inches by C. Murray, with E. J. liallaniyne a good third. Opening of the M.Y.M.I. To-dixy marks the opening of tho M.Y.M.I. Harrier Club at Karon. This is a sorriGwliat dilatory start, but it is assented in the club that it is to bo tho ono and only ins banco of dilatoriness for tho season. So mote it bo. Fclldlng to Start Harrieri. Enoouraging aows for crosscountry men. is to hnnd from Foilding. A harrier oiub has been formed in this onc-timo stronghold of professional running, and already tho membership roll totals'over fifty, of

whom forty-two are active members. An ex-Brooklyn Club member (Mr. C. Brown) is at the lieim as honorary secretary, and his expc-rienco should stand the young olub in good stead. Ah! Some Other Country Than Our Own. While on the subject of cross-country running, a note on a big event in the Old Country will not be out of place. This is tho International Cross-Country Champiionship, run at Edinburgh on March 30, particulars of which are now to 'hand,

Theso show that while England won tho teams' event for the tenth time, the winner turned up in Bouin, of Franco, last year's winner. Tho platings and times of the first dojsen fn to finish were:—

mm. Beo. 1. Bcuiii (France) SI 46 2. Soott (Eiwrland) 52 19 8. nibbing (England) ...... 52 34 4. Wallnch (Scotland) 52 51 5. O'Neill (Ireland) 515 7 6. ICcTSef (Franco) 53 12 7. Glover (Eqglaud) 53 14 8. Tucker (England) 53 2ft 0. Murphy (Ireland) 53 2fi 10. Noavi'B* (England) 53 US 11. Vosc (England) S3 12. Ilughcs (Ireland! 53 57 I);wies was tho first of the Welshmen to finish, running into sixteenth place, vrhilo Jack, the Scottish champion, ran twentieth. Tho team platings were:— I—England 2 3 7 8 10 11-41 2—Scotland 4 13 14 15 20 22-88 3—lreland 5 9 12 2G 27 31-110 4—Franco 1 0 21 24 30 41—123 s—Wales 1G 17 IS 23 32 34—140 The following is the order in which the runners finished-.—

England.—Scott 2, Hibbins 3, Glover 7, Tucker 8, Neaves 10, Voea 11.

Scotland,—Wuikch 4, .1. H. Hughes 13, Stephen 11, H. Hughes 15, Jack 20, Jl'Kenzio 22. 5, Murphy 0, Hughes 12, Jfooney 2G, Guthrie 27, Martin 31. France.—Bouin 1, Keyset G, H«uet 21, Lauvaux 24, Fremont 30, Panveis 41. Waist—Davie? 16, Paul 17,. Myles 18, Moyrick 29, Taylor 32, Herring 34. Hill, Stockholm, etc. (if things Olympic, there is but little to chronicle. Sonic interesting has tillered through the Au.slr;ili«n wipers oil the doings of the Australasian Ccani now »n rout* (or th» front. On* nob# con-

corns our one and only rcprcflW) tative, and ruiifl tihus: G N Hill, the Bole Now Zealander, eailinfr "for tho Olympic Games, Ms the opportunity of a unique, lorn of training ilio otlier C&7 wnil© tba other members of the Australasian team were taken out lor a drag Hip. Hill ran behind the drag for a distance of four miles, efine #.»• tion ami finishing well. While in Melbourne Hill trained on. the Melbourne Cricket Ground, but rested after S.vivii! <; the Victorian c&pitaii. ; .

was to train oil shipboard, and anticipates arriving fit and well. J ao s Donaldson, wiio'is a passenger on tlie same ship convoying llbc Australasian team to London is giving Hili sofflf useful hints in his training. A Note on Murray. Tho "Australasian" publishes a precis \ of a letter received from W. Murray, the ' Victorian walking representative, as under Writing before reaching Perth, W.

Murray reports continued fine weather, and that he was feeling exceedingly well. Ho was doing no training, but was not putting on weight. After his strenuous season a spell will not Im to his disadvantage. 0. M, Ross has lost 81b. The rowcra and runners, G. N. Hill and S. 11. Poultcr, were training daily, but not the swimmers, their idea being to pet a bit fat for the cold water of Stockholm. Murray suys they are oertninly succeeding i'or Cecil ILcaly scales llist. 71b. and Lougworth 18st. lib. And Apropos—Gouldlnfl. Apropos of Murray, it is interesting to note that E. J. Webb, the well-known English walker, who filled second plaa> in both events at the last Olympio Games in London, and who subsequently went to Canada, returned to London last month, lie was, of course, immediately interviewed by the sporting papers witi special regard to tho performances of G. Goulding, the Canadian walker, with whom he measured strides at Toronto Seat 6easan— unsuccessfully. Webb was unstinted in his praise of tlie "Canuck," who, by tho way, oould got no better than one fourth and nn "also started" at the last Games. Ho says:—"My opinion of GouldingP You have had that before, The best walker I have ever bcob; perfectly fair. I can't compare him with anybody you know; he has a low action, like Lamer, but hio stylo is his own, and must bo seon to b# understood."

• Of Murray he is reported as eayingi— "I see that Murray has walked a mil* in Grain. 22 4-ssec, in Australia. I can scarcDl.y understand Hint ho is better that Goulding, but then if I had not seen the Canadian I should ncvor tinvo belioved t|iat lio could walk us he does, and set up such fast tiraos. Perhaps wo shall Lava Murray over here, and then the matter may be explained. Noj I have no intention o£ goiiiß to Australia, thank you; for the future this little island will be Rood enough for me. The colonics oro

suited for younger men." Ho expects R. Ken'. Hnlljliaus, 11 kerns n, Knox, and Tait to trc in the Canadian team, and says tlioy also havo n very fine coloured sprinter named Howard —certainly an for varioui reasons he may not bo eent. "This Walk Should bo a Great Go." This walk at the Olympic Gamos»"thor« is only one this time, over 10,000 metres (about seven milre)—sliouM be a great "go" judging from the anticipation* of the overseas Dominions. Thus Canada cannot soe how-Goulding can lose, Australia is confident as to Murray's chances, and South Africa is sending n reprcsenta-

tivo who is looked upon by his country* men as a "cert." And yet were our Harry Kerr there, fit and well, his chance would Still hoy* looked good to "Mercury." A Wondorfui Jump, Particulars of tlw breaking of M. F. Sweeney's world's record for the running high jump by George Horlno on March 29 last are now to hand by the American mail. Of this great performance, tho San Francisco "Chronicle" says:—

Gcorgo Htfrine, Stanford's crack high jumper, cleared the bar at Oft. 6Jin. today in tho track aad field meet between Stanford and the University of Southern California, wresting from Si. F. Sweeney, of tho New York Athletic Club, the world's rocord held by him for 17 years. Stanford took the meet by a score of 801 to. 35!, the Southern athletes getting but three first places.

Horiue, who is an unassuming junior, made his record jump in BinVple, easy fashion, unperturbed by tho enthusiasm of tho rooters in tho bleachers. After his competitors had dropped, out at sft. llin. Horine cleared the bar at Gft. 2in. and asked that it bo put up to 6ft. the former world's inter-collegiate record, which ho bettered in the Stanford-Pomona meet Tuesday. "Don't do that, George," cautioiued Trainer "Dad" Moulton. "l'ut it at 6ft. 6in. and go after tho world's record, before you tins yourself." "All right. Dad," said Horine. Jle cleared the bar on liis second trial.

Horine's actual lead was lift. Gjin. Th« lowest point on the bar, howovor, was oneeighth of an inch shv of this mark, and tho Amateur Athletic Union requirements namo this as tho height which will bo accredited to the jumper. After making his wonderful jump, Horino was taken to the training houso and given a good rub down. Ito then oamo out and mads several attempts at tho height of- 6ft. ?in., but ho could not raise his already miraoulous mark. .... . . i .. Only lost Tuesday, in the meet with Pomona Collese, Honne established a newworld's in tor-Collegiate recorJ of ijft, 4|in., breaking a record held jointly by himself and I'ogc of Pennsylvania. Ami now with the affidavit attesting to Inn recent achievement hardly in tho nanus of tlio Amateur Athletio Union officials, the second affidavit was to-day Signed by many of tho 6amo 'witnesses, who vouched for tlio Stanford man's performance on Tuesday.